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By Root 1201 0

New Year is what’s called extreme high season, when rates are 25% more than high-season rates. Bargaining is sometimes possible in casas particulares – though as far as foreigners go, it’s not really the done thing. The casa owners in any given area pay generic taxes and the prices you will be quoted reflect this. You’ll find very few casas in Cuba that aren’t priced between CUC$15 to CUC$35, unless you’re up for a long stay. Prearranging Cuban accommodation has become easier now that more Cubans (unofficially) have access to the internet.

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BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE

For more accommodation reviews and recommendations by Lonely Planet authors, check out the online booking service at www.lonelyplanet.com/hotels. You’ll find the true, insider low-down on the best places to stay. Reviews are thorough and independent. Best of all, you can book online.

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PRACTICALITIES

The most common electricity voltage is 110V, 60 cycles, but you’ll also find 220V. Side-by-side sockets with different voltage are usually labeled, but always ask. The sockets are suited to North American–style plugs with two flat prongs.

Commercial laundries are rare. Most casas particulares have a machine you can use, or there’s always hand washing.

Granma, Juventud Rebelde and Trabajadores are the three national papers. Bohemia and Temas are two of the best general-interest magazines (in Spanish). The magazines are found in all Habaguanex hotels where they are available for general use. You’ll also find them in many bookstores.

There are 69 radio stations and three TV channels. Radio Habana (www.radiohc.cu) is broadcast worldwide on the shortwave band; most hotels have satellite TV.

Like electricity, the common system is NTSC, but videos are sold in various formats.

Cuba uses the metric system, except in some fruit and vegetable markets where the imperial system takes over.

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The following chains and internet agencies offer online booking and/or information:

Casa Particular Organization (www.casaparticularcuba.org) Reader-recommended for prebooking private rooms.

Cubacasas (www.cubacasas.net) The best online source for casa particular information and booking; up to date, accurate and with colorful links to hundreds of private rooms across the island (in English and French).

Cubalinda.com (www.cubalinda.com) Havana-based, so it knows its business.

Gran Caribe (www.grancaribe.cu)

Islazul (www.islazul.cu)

Sol Meliá (www.solmeliacuba.com) Also offers discounts.

Vacacionar (www.dtcuba.com) Official site of Directorio Turístico de Cuba.

Campismos

Campismos are where Cubans go on vacation. There are more than 80 of them sprinkled throughout the country and they are wildly popular (an estimated one million Cubans use them annually). Hardly ‘camping,’ most of these installations are simple concrete cabins with bunk beds, foam mattresses and cold showers. Campismos are the best place to meet Cubans, make friends and party in a natural setting.

Campismos are ranked either nacional or internacional. The former are (technically) only for Cubans, while the latter host both Cubans and foreigners and are more upscale, with air-con and/or linens. There are currently a dozen international campismos in Cuba ranging from the hotel-standard Aguas Claras (Pinar del Río) to the more basic Puerto Rico Libre (Holguín). In practice, campismo staff may rent out a nacional cabin (or tent space) to a foreigner pending availability, but it depends on the installation, and many foreigners are turned away (not helpful when you’ve traveled to a way-out place on the pretext of getting in). To avoid this situation, we’ve listed only international campismos in this book.

For a full list of all the country’s campismos (both nacional and internacional), you can pick up an excellent Guía de Campismo (CUC$2.50) from any of the Reservaciones de Campismo offices.

As far as international campismos go, contact the excellent Cubamar ( 7-833-2523/4; www.cubamarviajes.cu; Calle 3 btwn Calle 12 & Malecón, Vedado; 8:30am-5pm Mon-Sat) in Havana